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Wallonie

Durbuy Castle

Castles

Wallonie

Durbuy Castle

Recommended by 318 hikers out of 330

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Location: Durbuy, Marche-En-Famenne, Wallonie, Wallonia, Belgium

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Best Hikes to Durbuy Castle

4.3

(236)

1,453

hikers

1. Along the Ourthe – Durbuy Old Town and Castle loop from Durbuy

5.68km

01:35

100m

110m

Easy hike. Great for any fitness level. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

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Easy

4.5

(205)

1,565

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2. Along the Ourthe – Durbuy Old Town and Castle loop from Durbuy

10.2km

02:47

160m

Intermediate hike. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

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Intermediate

4.5

(618)

2,838

hikers

3. Ourthe River at Barvaux – The Anticline loop from Durbuy

9.99km

02:45

170m

Intermediate hike. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

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Intermediate

Tips

Katrien

February 10, 2022

Durbuy got its first fortified castle around 899. A century later it was destroyed and in the 11th century Henri the 1st of Namur, Count of Durbuy had the castle rebuilt. The d'Ursel family became the owner of the castle in 1756. This beautiful building is located along the Ourthe, near the old bridge of the city.

Source: Itineraries

Translated by Google •

August 6, 2025

Durbuy is first mentioned in 1078 (as Dolbui) and in 1084 (under its current name). The first traces of habitation were found during excavations in the Anticline Cave by Count Pierre d'Ursel. The d'Ursel family still lives in Durbuy Castle.

Before the current castle, others existed. According to the Luxembourg archives, one castle was destroyed, and in the eleventh century, another was built by Henry II de Puer, who had received the estate from his mother, Rageline, sister of Pope Stephen II, and her husband, Albert II of Namur. Around 1156, that castle was severely damaged by flames, and during the Wars of Succession of the Duchy of Limburg, it was destroyed several more times.

From 1412 onward, Durbuy fell into the hands of the House of Burgundy, and at the end of the fifteenth century, the then existing castle was destroyed by Maximilian of Austria, as were all the castles of the La Marck family: besides Durbuy, these also included the castles of Logne and La Roche.

In 1628, Baron Antoine Schetz van Grobendonck leased the Durbuy estate for 40,000 gold marks, a very considerable sum. Besides being a baron, he was also Count of Grobbendonk, Lord of Tilburg and Goirle, Pulle and Pulderbos, and Wezemaal. He served in the Spanish service and led the defense of 's-Hertogenbosch during the Eighty Years' War. At 71, he was also governor of the city of Leuven during the Siege of Leuven.

And he was the first in a long line of the d'Ursel family who still inhabit the castle today.

In 1731, the castle was rebuilt by the then Duke of Ursel.

Countess Auguste d'Ursel, who acquired the d'Ursel family's estate in Durbuy, modernized the castle between 1880 and 1882 with the help of architect Thirian from Namur.

During World War II, the castle was occupied several times, and in 1944, during the Battle of the Bulge, it was used as a field hospital by the American liberators, with the billiard table serving as an operating table.

Sources: Historical overviews in Word documents on the website of Count Jean-Michel d'Ursel, current resident, at chateaudedurbuy.be/historique.html

Translated by Google •

Jünni61

June 12, 2023

The Castle of the Counts of Ursel is located along the Ourthe, after the old bridge, at the entrance to the town. In the 11th century, Henri 1st of Namur, Count of Durbuy, had the fortress built. In 1756 the von Ursel family became the official owners of the castle.

Translated by Google •

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Elevation 140 m

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Thursday 9 October

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Max wind speed: 8.0 km/h

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Location: Durbuy, Marche-En-Famenne, Wallonie, Wallonia, Belgium

Durbuy Castle

1. Along the Ourthe – Durbuy Old Town and Castle loop from Durbuy

2. Along the Ourthe – Durbuy Old Town and Castle loop from Durbuy

3. Ourthe River at Barvaux – The Anticline loop from Durbuy

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